Episode 4. I'm in the wrong pocket.
I don't like this. Why am I here?
Amos said from within Saku's garment.
Saku switched Kambo and Fushi Chao physicians in the dark, not
far from the gambling den. The area was silent after the
events earlier in the day. Hannah returned from peering
over the wall of the housing complex, keeping an eye out for
Ito's men. She tilted her head and brought
her lips forward. A strange sparkly breeze passed
through the air. Airs on Saku's head stood up.
What have I done, Kamo? Saku said, not noticing anything
but her own thoughts. She crossed her arms tightly and
gripped her hands. Actually, I like the other
pocket better, said Hunna, smiles, like she thought Saku
was playing a strange game with her.
Kamo, it's only us here. Saku pulled the skull from her
pocket. Here it is.
I can hear a soul inside this skull.
Hannah screamed, but then covered her mouth.
I admit this isn't the best of luck, but that was uncalled for,
he said. Saku, we need to get as far away
from my husband in the city as possible.
He might change his mind after a few days and his his mood might
blow over. I know I was late, Saku said.
But I have done nothing to deserve this.
Nothing. Hannah said, leaning harder
against the wall, tugging on her kimono sleeves.
You hurt his military commander and his son.
You are aligned with Ayashi, the one Lord Yatak who plays for the
death of his son from his wife before me.
And you saved me from the kissing house.
Soku lowered her eyes. I have nothing to do with
Ayashi. I need to fix this.
That's not how anyone sees it now, Hannah said.
Please listen to me. This goes deeper than you know.
I cannot let you go to the Lord that taku.
I once pledged my life to serve the nickel.
I served as a shrine maiden to a shaman until I came of age,
until my family gave me to Lord that taku to settle a dispute.
He is quick to take revenge for the most petty things.
It's not only you in danger, it's everyone.
The people here, Lord Yotaku's enemies and your village.
What dispute? Saku said.
Hana was taken aback over land. Your village.
The matter was settled until my brother did what my brother
does. This is why you cannot go
tonight, Your brother? Saku asked.
Hana wiped her face with a hem of her garment and patted her
skin to remove some of the makeup.
Some of the white paint remained under forehead and cheeks.
She felt her skin. Ayashi is my brother, the son of
Lord Noriko of the North. She spoke, closing her eyes.
He was given the Lord Yataku in the arrangement.
As a warrior, he was disowned when he killed Lord Yataku's son
in battle. I cannot fail, Mibu Saku said.
I'm not leaving without a solution.
You won't be failing your village, Hadas said.
I promise. Get me somewhere safe for a
little while and then we can return to the castle.
I can train you to use that sword, and I I can prepare you
for this fight. Saku looked to the stars.
A loud bell tolled across the city.
Hannah gasped. It rang repeatedly, a long held
note blasted from a multitude of horns.
Far away, windows and doors shut.
Slowly the light from the surrounding city ceased until
the sky was pitch black. Is it time to work?
Soku asked. No, I said.
Lord Yataku has locked down the city.
There will be men at all the exits.
They aren't going to let us leave.
We can try to find a place to hide in the city until we can
find a way out, and Soku again looked at the stars.
My parents were taken from me by the conquerors when I was young,
which happens to all the children who are allowed to live
in my village. But I met my mom once.
We snuck off in the night and watched the stars.
She told me she knew her mother, who used to only tell certain
stories when certain stars could be seen.
That was the only time where people could share the tales.
I hated how long they were, but now I wish I could listen
because I don't remember the story she told.
No one knows the stories anymore.
Yet my village sings the praises of the conquerors for saving
them. Life is a gift that has been
taken from us. I don't want to be silenced
anymore. Go wherever is safe.
Hannah. Get out of the city as soon as
you can so I could tighten her hair tie.
I wish you the best of luck, Saku No said.
You cannot do this. You are weak.
He will make an example of you. You need to come with me.
And can you send word for him to meet me at the warehouses?
Saku said, keeping the tea bag over her back shoulder.
Hannah nodded. Until we meet again, or in the
next life, if nothing else. In Saku, we still need Lord
Yataku. Because if my father gains
control, you won't have a village to go back to.
Saku paused before adjusting the bag on her back.
She disappeared into the night. 3 guards came out of the
darkness and surrounded Saku, who stood in the middle of the
warehouse. She drew her sword.
Her heart pounded. A deep voice echoed through the
large room, surrounded by bins and shelves of goods.
She recognized the voice. I've been told, your name,
Isakura. Your head isn't very good, is
it? Put the sword down.
He appeared, catching Saku off guard.
He adjusted his hair in his top knot in motion for a young woman
to approach. She handed him a pipe and
incense, which he lit and smoked.
He exhaled and handed the object back to the geisha, blowing
smoke into the air. He tightened the sash on his red
kimono. You should do as he says for
now, she chow advised. Saku lowered the sword, but did
not put it in its seeth. What did you think would happen
here tonight, Saku? He said.
I plead with you, she said. Please do not let my actions
affect my village. My fault is my own.
I will do whatever it takes to make things right in your eyes.
Lord Yotaku crossed his arms. His guards looked at each other.
I'll let you explain to me, your Regent, why you feel you do not
deserve death for allowing me to show our enemies such weakness.
Why should your village go unpunished?
The ones who sent such an incompetent little girl.
I shall entertain your answer. Ayashi stole it from me, Saku
said. I had to track it down.
My village did nothing wrong. They sent you, he said.
This is the third time the delivery did not arrive.
You were unacceptably late, which is none of my concern.
But then I hear Saku that my doctor tells me that my daimyo
needs special herbal treatment because of something you did.
A leaf that grows. Not in this area, I know you
not. But you somehow become a menace
that I cannot let stand. What if I find you this leaf?
Saku asked. To make things right.
Then I will return to my village and you will have no dealing
with me from here on out. Saku tighten the grip on her.
Cortana, I need no help from a skull person where Yotaku spoke,
a guard offered him a sword, which he took.
I do not accept failure. Me do it for you, the guard
said. I can handle a 16 year old
woman. Lord Yotaku sits back in the
guard. I'm 26.
Saku said. She pulled the sword back to
face upright and found her center standing shoulder length
apart. He held the sword high and
sideways in the air and rushed at Saku, letting out a cry.
With the flick of Saku's top wrist, she swung up hard,
hitting an exposed elbow. Blood gushed.
He cried out in pain and took the sword in his left hand.
A guard came to his side, but he used the edge of the hill to hit
the man on the head. She backed away and dove into
one of the long aisles Yataku crossed after her Saku had run
to the end of the row, looking back to see Lord Yataku tucking
his elbow into his ribs. He winced in pain, but walked
towards her. Saku quickly took Coma out of
her pocket, stood on her tippy toes, and placed him on top of a
shelf high above. From the corner of her eye, she
spotted the Regent. He swung the blade hit Saku's
shoulder and cut her garment and slashed her skin.
She sprinted past saki barrels and ducked down out of sight
while he searched for her. She placed Fuchi Chow on a
pallet stacked with perfume crates.
She reached and grabbed a hold of the top shelf.
The bare soles of her feet bounced off the bamboo as she
leapt into the air. Before she could gain her
footing, Yataku caught her with his other injured arm and yanked
her off. She grabbed his elbow as she
fell towards the ground. He let go.
Saku cleared out of the row. He stood bleeding, still
searching for her for Chichel shouted.
Don't go that way, he's headed in your direction, Combo chimed
in. His guards aren't doing anything
either. You should be able to run out of
here if you can get away. Saku jumped to a shelf, but the
top plank snapped in half. She was able to straddle the
top, but Lord Yataku saw her. Before she could react, he threw
his sword at her. She ducked, but could no longer
hold. Her balance, especially with the
T on her back falls in her head first to the ground.
With the Cortana still in her hand, her vision blurred, he
approached where she lay and picked up his sword.
Before he could swing at her, she stood to her feet and
slashed at the shelf. Sitting paper goods and jewelry,
Flying arms reached out and pulled herself through to the
other side. Once she had crossed, she turned
back away, facing the cut she had made.
She readied her sword. A kneecap came into view.
She slashed. She felt her left foot slip on
the dirt from the weight of the swing.
With his left hand, Lord Yitaku swung down.
The swords clanked. Saku pressed the blades towards
his face. Her blade was close to touching
his cheek, trying to muster all of her strength.
She pushed with her right hand on the Cortana, but in doing so
her feet slipped. She felt the sword leave her
fingers. She fell after impact.
Saku twisted back around, looking up, discovering Lord
Yataku above her. She removed the bag of tea from
her back. Blood dripped from Saku's face.
She stared, not blinking, his brow narrowed.
He pointed the edge of the blade at her heart.
Saku's elbow jerked back. She threw the bag of tea at Lord
Yataku and screamed with every single inch of soul and being.
Her throat went raw as it burned.
As she yelled, Thunder clapped the air filled with static.
A flash blinded them. As lightning cracked through the
thatched roof. The bolt struck Yataku.
His body fell to the ground like a rag doll.
Saku stood to her feet, but her knees buckled.
Her mouth dropped. She put weight on the bamboo
shelf. Her head felt dizzy.
Body was faint. I've always cried from the other
side of the warehouse. I told you you could shoot
lightning from the sky, But no. Don't believe Kamo.
Is he all right? As for Shi Chow, Lord Yataku lay
with half his face in the dirt, his hair sprawled out in chunks
on the ground. Saku shook her head.
I don't think so. The guards closed in.
Help, she called to them. What do I do?
Somebody help him. The guard did nothing.
Another approached and looked down to his leader.
They crossed their arms almost at the same time.
Saku grabbed her seashell from the shelf and ran to the other
end to collect Combo. She put the skulls in her pocket
and exited the warehouse. Once outside, Saku panicked,
finding a corner and making herself small, she saw someone
running in the darkness towards her.
She backed further into the small space.
Lights in the city began to be lit.
Soon she could see on each hand in front of her, his hands and
feet bound in rope. She went to him and cut the
ropes and sheaved the sword. She cried, standing in front of
him, swollen, broken. What happened?
He asked. The guards heard something, then
gave up and let me go on a chance, said.
Water boiled in a pot on top of a lit fire in the Hut.
Sounds of chaos could be heard outside, with the Mizimano
performers and the rest of the city learning the news about the
daimyos and the region's death. I ran from the castle as fast as
I could. On each hand went on.
Do you mean that you have taken down both Lord Yataku and the
Daimyo in the same evening? He walked to the pot and wet the
cloth in hot water. Yes, Saku said.
Hana gasped. Once my father hears of this, he
will try to take control of Salsa.
There's no town guard left either, the chance said.
There is no one to protect the city other than his forces, most
of whom are off aiding the northwest.
Saku refused Onichan's help. The guards did not come to Lord
Yataki's side when the lightning struck him.
He stood there, willing to watch a living man die.
Wait, Oney Chen said. He got hit by lightning.
Now you've got the master talking the animals in your set,
Kamo said to her Saku side. I think the T has given me these
powers. Are you sure you don't want an
exhibit in this Mizzimano Oney? Chen said.
Once you have overthrown the city and taken control before
the forces of the North do, No one will remember Oniku, you
can't be serious. On a spoke, she hid her arms in
your kimono and rock back and forth under feet.
Suck, who stood in, paced the floor.
Her legs were weak and stiff, but she managed to walk to the
other side of the room. She reached inside the large
wooden barrel, stealing a pitcher.
She drank from it with both hands.
Gulping, she slammed it on the table.
Her gaze turned to the crackling fire she held.
A solution to fix everything.